First Day of School

Our boys had their first day of school on Wednesday August 24. The day went great, the morning not so much. Brandon and I had planned on taking the boys to school rather them taking the bus. Logan was all ready. I was getting shoes on Olivia, and I heard the bus coming down the street. I said, "Logan go look at the bus." In my mind I meant look through the window. Next thing I know the front door opened, and then there was silence. After a few minutes of not hearing Logan I started looking for him. I searched the house and then searched outside. Brandon went outside and looked as well. Our neighbor came out and said, "I just helped Logan get on the bus." So Brandon went and met him at school as he got off the bus. Logan just had a smile with a smirk for him.

Porter was very excited to go and I got him all ready and in the car. We went up to the school and there were no other parents around. I took him to the front door so I could take him to his class. We had switched his teacher the day before so he hadn't met her yet. And the lady at the door very rudely said, "leave your child here, you can't come in the building." So I dropped him off fighting off tears to not just start bawling. He did great, I was a mess.

School is going well for both boys and I think it's going to be a great year.

Summer and Grandma's Visit

Having family come visit is so much fun. My mom and Summer were able to spend a few short days with us, and it was so much fun. Summer became the neighborhood idol with her trampoline skills. The neighborhood boys would come and ask her to "show off" her skills for them. She was a good sport about it too, and usually would do it, until she got a migraine and got sick;(

My mom was impressed that she no longer had to sleep on our couch bed in the middle of the living room:) We spent the time mostly shopping, eating and visiting. Brandon took friday off and we went shopping, ate lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, and then went and watched The Help. It was such a fun day. I hate living so far away from family but am always so glad when they come to visit.

Announcing Number 4!

Yes, I am officially announcing this on the blog. We are expecting baby number 4 the end of January, and we are so excited. We've been hesitant to get too excited or tell too many people that I was pregnant. Normally, I tell people right away, but I had miscarried in February. I wasn't suppose to keep this one either. I was able to get into my doctor early to have my proof of pregnancy appointment. Things went well, and then my doctor called me the next day and said my hormone levels were extremely low and that it usually is the first sign of a miscarriage. She said to come in and get more blood drawn the next day. I did and my HCG level went up my progesterone went down. So, for about 2 weeks I had blood draws and was put on progesterone. All this was happening while we were getting ready to move, so my doctor told me I couldn't lift anything. While moving I stood and watched people move my stuff for me. I don't like that feeling. I had an ultrasound done at about 9 or 10 weeks, and we saw the little baby its beating heart. Slowly we're becoming more optimistic.

Porter Turns 6

The End By: A.A. Milne

When I was one,

I had just begun.

When I was Two,

I was nearly new.

When I was Three,

I was hardly me.

When I was Four,

I was not much more.

When I was Five,

I was just alive.

But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever.

So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.

The anticipation of Porter turning 6 was going to kill him or us if it didn't come soon. To say he was excited is a huge understatement. I asked him what was going to be different now that he was 6 and he said, "hmmm, I'll be faster!"

This boy is probably the friendliest kid I've ever met. He says "Hi" to everyone and invites everyone to everything. We were going to just have a few kids over and do a slip and slide on his birthday. By the time we had set it up we had every kid in the neighborhood here compliments of Porter:) He is such a fun kid! Such a good little brother and big brother. Olivia absolutely adores him and mimicks his every move.

Porter is a light in a room and our lives are so much more fun and exciting because he is in it.

July!

I've realized since getting ready to move and moving that I don't take pictures anymore. I've turned into the mother I swore I wouldn't become. I have a million pictures of the 1st and 2nd, but not so many of the 3rd. So today I'm going to change that.

There's a boy in my ward who plays basketball for the high school team, which is a big deal here, and he is doing a little basketball camp for the boys who want to learn the basics. He is such a great coach. I put my boys in it and Porter absolutely loves it. Logan more or less is going because I make him:). He likes it when he's there, but it's getting there that kills him.

We're in the middle of a nasty HEAT wave, and this is outside but the kids all do great. They take lots of drink breaks and cool off in the mister's.

Since moving Olivia has felt a new sort of freedom. She is no longer confined in her crib and now sleeps in a big girl bed. She thinks she owns the place. After laying her down each night she usually changes her clothes at least 3-5 times. She changes from different jammies, to day clothes, to her swimming suit. We also cannot mention anything to do with water or else she'll run upstairs and change into her "Whimm Wuit". She is a little monkey.

Since being here she got her first black eye by falling off the neighbors swing set and a million other little bruises from trying to keep up with her big brothers.

4th of July

We moved to Ohio right before the 4th of July weekend. We got a lot of our stuff unpacked pretty quick and we were able to do some fun things during the weekend. My brother Nate came out from North Carolina and spent the weekend with us. It was so much fun to have him come visit. Brandon's parents were troopers and flew into Michigan and helped us pack and move down to Ohio and stayed to play for a little bit with us too. They were such a help.

The day of the 4th of July we decided to forgo the parade and city events and went to lunch with Nate before he drove back home. That night our ward did a picnic and then we went to see the fireworks that night. Olivia has stopped taking naps since our move and falls asleep everywhere!

Sunday night we went to hear an orchestra play Americana songs. It was very patriotic and very hot! Olivia shakes her hips whenever she hears music, it's so cute.

Family!

Residency Graduation!

Residency Graduation has finally come! This has been such an amazing journey. and we're glad we went through it. We are very glad to be done with it. Brandon has been working this week as a "real" doctor and has loved it. He said it's been weird to not say, "let me check with my attending" and such. It's fun for him to be in charge of his own patients.

So Tuesday June 28th was graduation. Here's all the wives of the program minus 1 or 2. And yes 4 out of the 6 of us are mormon:)

Amanda Arrhenius, Lisa Hugentobler, Laurie Kovac, Billie Vest, Cheryl Scott, and me.

The Graduates with the residency director and assistant. Dr. Kissel, Brandon, Ashley, Ryan, Josh, Sunny, and Dr. Husain

My amazing hubby. So proud of him!

Brandon and his co-residents

Brandon and Dr. Husain